It is a common requirement in several industries to transport very long and heavy structures across the federal and state highways. As a particular example of such requirement, in the exploration of oil, gas and geothermal energy, drilling operations are used to create boreholes, or wells, in the earth. Drilling rigs used in subterranean exploration must be transported to the locations where drilling activity is to be commenced. These locations are often remotely located and in rough terrain. The transportation of such rigs on state highways requires compliance with highway safety laws and clearance underneath bridges or inside tunnels. Once transported to the desired location, large rig components must each be moved from a transport trailer into engagement with the other components located on the drilling pad.
One of the difficult and time consuming tasks associated with relocating a drilling rig is the disconnection and storage of the numerous electrical, pneumatic, and/or hydraulic cables that must be located along the full height of the fully assembled mast. These cables connect, for example, between power supply equipment located at or below the drilling rig floor and equipment such as the top drive at or near the top of the drilling mast.
Moving a full-size rig requires disassembly of the mast into two or three sections which must then be transported. The mast sections are then loaded between a tractor trailer and a dolly system designed to follow the tractor trailer. The several cables must be disconnected at multiple points along the different mast sections, and spooled and stored for safe transportation. Safety is a paramount issue. Speed of disassembly and assembly is also a critical issue. Complete disassembly leads to errors and delay in reassembly.
It is also desirable that the cable disconnections be minimized. It is also desirable that the cable disconnections be performed at the rig floor level. It is also desirable that the storage and deployment of the cable be rapid. It is also desirable to eliminate separate spooling or handling of the cable for transportation. It is also desirable that cable be transported with a single mast section. It is necessary that the storage and deployment of the cable not damage the cables.
There remains a need for a readily deployable cable tray system that permits the rapid, safe, and reliable storage of cables associated with transportable vertical structures. In particular, there remains a need for a readily deployable cable tray system that permits the rapid, safe, and consolidated storage of cables running the vertical length of the mast, such that the cable can be disconnected at rig floor level and retracted to a single section of the mast for lawful transportation on the state highway system.
There also remains a need for a deployable cable tray system that overcomes the difficulty of being completely stored within the transport width of the mast section to which it is attached. There also remains a need for a deployable cable tray system that overcomes the difficulty of being deployable from a mast section without interfering with the internal volume of the mast framework.
In summary, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a unique solution to the engineering constraints and challenges of providing a rapid, safe, and consolidated storage of cables with the central section of the mast for transportation on the state highway system.